Oracle's Moon (Elder Races #4)(69)

“You’re so different,” she breathed. Fascinated, she edged closer. Did he have pupils? She couldn’t tell. His eyes seemed to take in and multiply the amount of light around him.

Khalil’s lean face creased with a keen smile. “You are beautiful,” he said with evident pleasure. His pure, gorgeous voice sounded the same. “Clearly bathing suits you.”

She choked on an unexpected bubble of laughter. Khalil had quite a way to go in the learning-how-to-give-compliments department, but she wasn’t about to bring that up, when he spoke with such sincerity.

She reached out to touch his forearm then hesitated self-consciously. “Do you mind?”

“No,” he said.

She laid her fingers on him. His skin not only looked human, but it felt like human skin too and warm to the touch, not quite as hot as usual. She stroked lightly down his arm. He made a surprised sound and looked shocked. She snatched her hand away. “Did that hurt?”

“No,” Khalil breathed. He looked down at his arm, at her hand. “It felt incredible,” he said. His voice had deepened. “Do it again.”

She held her own breath and tentatively touched him again. This time she curled her hand around the back of his elbow. She drew her hand down the underside of his lean forearm until she reached his broad palm. He hissed at the contact, and a shudder went through him. That simple touch and his intense reaction were unbelievably erotic. His long fingers curled around her wrist, and he held her tight.

“You’ve never felt that before?” she asked faintly.

“Not with such intensity, no,” he said, his voice unsteady. “Creating a more humanlike form is complicated. The more complex a form is, the more energy it takes to create and maintain. I have never been interested enough to descend this deeply into flesh before.”

“How real is this?” she asked.

He stared at his own arm curiously, as if he wasn’t quite sure of the answer himself. “Real enough to feel how pleasurable your touch was,” he said. “Real enough to sustain damage. Cuts and bruises would hurt.” He frowned. “And I do not think I can transport us anywhere while I am bound this deeply in flesh.”

He spoke of his body as if it were a cage. The concept was oddly disturbing, although she could see how flesh would be a cage for him, although he could still discard it anytime he chose.

The whole conversation had created far more intimacy between them than she had expected or welcomed. It had also raised more questions in her mind. She pulled away.

“We’ll have to see that you don’t get damaged tonight,” she said lightly. “And I can drive.”

“In a car,” he said, his frown deepening.

He did not look entirely enthused at the prospect. Suddenly amused, she grinned. “Yes, Khalil. In my car.”

“Very well,” he said. “But I am paying for everything and opening all the doors.”

She rolled her eyes as she went to the bookshelf to grab up her purse. “It sounds like you have quite a well thought-out agenda,” she said. “I would love to know who or what your dating resource was.”

“I went to Florida today,” Khalil said. “Carling and Rune are being held in quarantine in Key Largo.”

She glanced at him. “How are they doing?”

“They’re fine. Rune told me a few things about dating. I must say, I didn’t quite trust all that he said, but his suggestion for a casual outfit seems all right.”

“It’s great,” she said, rather more huskily than she had intended. But then anything he would have worn would have been kick-in-the-head good. She decided it was past time to get out of the house, and she headed for the door.

He might not be able to dematerialize and reform as instantly as he had before, but this new, more humanized Khalil could still move with lethal speed. Suddenly he was in front of her, unlatching the screen door and holding it open. She flipped on the porch light and turned and locked the front door after he stepped out after her. He watched everything she did with an extra-close attention she found unsettling.

She smoothed her hands down the sides of her skirt self-consciously and muttered, “I feel like you’re studying me to take notes.”

“Things acquire more significance in this form,” he said. “You must pay more attention to your physical surroundings when you’re bound in flesh.” He followed her to her car. He opened the driver’s door and closed it after she slid in. She strapped herself in.

When he had climbed in the passenger seat, she waited. He waited too. She told him, “I never drive anywhere unless everybody in the car is wearing their seat belt. It’s a thing of mine.”

He shook his head and looked mystified. She sighed and leaned over him to fumble for his seat belt strap. It brought her br**sts against his arm and the left side of his chest, and she caught his scent. He smelled like clean, healthy male. She caught her breath and tilted her head back to look up at his face. He was watching her intently, eyes blazing.

“Sorry,” she croaked, pulling back.

He gave her a keen, bright smile that had every bit as much mischief as it did in his old form. “Don’t apologize. Really.”

“Just pull that strap around and buckle the two parts together, like mine.” She gestured, and when he had done so, she started the car and backed out of the driveway.